SECTION A: READING
Read the following passage carefully: mark 6
Q1. (Do not spend more than 15 minutes on this question)
Peak hour traffic scenario in India is a cartoonist's delight - hassled motorists, rivers of sweat streaming down their forehead, accusing each other for lack of traffic sense in loud voices — toned by the honking of a thousand horns. This is not so in Singapore. It is almost legendary now that one of Asia's wealthiest cities has 0ne of the calmest traffic too. For ten years they have been able to maintain air pollution levels as per World Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards.
In the late 19605 and early 1970s, a number of major land use and transportation studies were carried out to prepare long-term plans for Singapore's development. lt was evident to the planners that traffic congestion had to be addressed first as building more and mere roads was not a useful option for Singapore due to the lesser land availability.
Singapore has followed simple, but firm rules. One, it introduced severe economic restrictions on car-ownership and use; two, it improved transit system dramatically; and lastly, it promoted pedestrian traffic and non-motorised transport.
Planners aimed to minimize the need to travel by putting in order the location of residential and commercial areas. Besides they developed a vast road network system, and used technology to maximize the use of roads. Transportation routes consisting of an expressway and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines were developed.
But the key to the success of these measures was public acceptability, which means the whole exercise had to be done in a phased manner.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options given:
(a) How is peak hour traffic scenario in India a cartoonist's delight?
i. motorists sweating and accusing
ii. motors and bikes honking
iii. motorists accusing each other for lack of traffic sense and honking of a thousand
horns
Ans [iii] motorists accusing each other for lack of traffic sense and honking of a thousand
horns
(b) What kind of traffic does Singapore have?
i. It has one of the longest traffic
ii. It has one of the largest traffic
iii. It has one of the Smallest traffic
iv. It has one of the calmest traffic
Ans [iv] It has one of the calmest traffic
(c) Who guides Singapore to maintain air pollution levels as the lowest?
i. WHO and US Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards
ii. Mass Rapid Transit lines
iii. Singapore Traffic Authority
iv. World Health Organisation
Ans [i] WHO and US Environmental Protection Agency air quality standards
(d) What was the first priority for the planners for Singapore's development?
i. Traffic of pedestrians and non-motorised persons
ii. Traffic congestions had to be addressed first
iii. Transportation routes
iv. MRT lines
Ans [ii]. Traffic congestions had to be addressed first
(e)1. Find a word from the passage which means the same as ‘most peaceful.’
i. Evident
ii. Calmest
iii. Acceptability
iv. Restrictions
Ans [ii]. Calmest
(f)2. Find a word in the passage which can be replaced with ‘flowing.’
i. Hassled
ii. Streaming
iii. Collapsing
iv. Congestion
Ans[ii] Streaming
(g) Why did Singapore not make more roads?
i. Due to the lesser land availability
ii. Due to severe economic restrictions on car-ownership
iii. To maintain air pollution levels
iv. To promote pedestrian traffic
Ans[i] Due to the lesser land availability
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